NewsUS extends conditional Pak military aid for one year
WASHINGTON: The US Congress has extended military aid to Pakistan for one year by adding more conditions.
This aid is provided to Pakistan to carry out military operations against militants and Congress has included this military aid extension with new conditions in their final $521 billion budget, BBC Urdu reported on Thursday.
The report says that Pakistan is a “binding force” and the US makes a payment to Pakistan in the fight against terrorism under the Coalition Support Fund (CSF).
In the new conditions, it was proposed that the amount which is to be paid to Pakistan should not exceed to $1 billion under the CSF.
Besides, the power of the US defence secretary to issue $300 million without the Congress conditions was withdrawn.
Under the new conditions, the US defence secretary will have to assure the Congress before the issuance of payment to Pakistan against the war on terror that safe havens of Haqqani network and free movement of terrorists have come to an end during the military operation being carried out in North Waziristan.
He will also have to prove that Pakistan was taking such steps that after this operation Haqqani network will not be able to establish itself in North Waziristan again.
Besides, under these conditions, the US secretaries of state and defence will have to tell the Congress about what Pakistan is helping in the operation against al-Qaeda, Tehreek-e-Taliban, Haqqani network and Quetta Shura.
The conditions of the role of Pakistan in protecting the movement of US goods and to keep the US and Afghan troops from attacks are also part of the budget.The expenditure, incurred against the war on terror in Pakistan, are paid in four instalments under the CSF.
Pakistan had received the last instalment in October during the current year.
Courtesy www.thenews.com.pk